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Show 22 Utah Academy of Sciences, Arts and Letters known than the .Iohnsons, of whom there were five pioneer brothers widely known as farmers, florists and medicine men. Of these men George W. advertised as a "botanic physician" at Springvrlle in the 1850's and in the early years of the next decade. Benjamin F. and Joseph E. a few years later had established them selves in the same field, Joseph E. becoming best known of all. In 1863 he was settled at Spring Lake, near Payson, where he pub lished "The Farmers' Oracle," practiced medicine and maintained One of his announcements read: a very pretentious drug store. Lake Villa may be found a complete Medicines. At Spring "Family line of family medicines which may be had for grain.' The stock in this store comprised practically every then existent patent medi cine and home remedy. The latter were in large part put up by J. E. Johnson himself. He at the same time also advertised for sale flowering plants and shrubs which he grew extensively along with the drug producing plants. His Valley Tan Laboratory, later transferred to Salt Lake, became widely known for the pro duction of medicines advertised as "discovered, invented and manu factured by Joseph E. Johnson." These medicines were all vege table derivatives recommended in the announcement thus: "All Valley Tan Remedies are the same. They will never do any harm under any circumstances." The Valley Tan business was later carried on by Joseph E.'s son, C. E. Johnson, who also in part nership with P. P. Pratt, Jr., for many years conducted the well known Johnson-Pratt Drug Co. In 1866 Joseph E. Johnson removed to St. George, where for some years he published a paper called the Dixie Times (later the Rio Virgin Times), and later on also a weekly called the Utah Pomologist and Gardener. Here he continued his interest in plants of the region, medicinal and others, and at times enter tained visiting botanists, such as C. C. Parry. A number of new species were named in his honor by Parry and Sereno Watson, among them being the beautiful Dalea Johnsonii, |
